curly hair hairdresser in London?

[clarequilty]

My favourite salon has closed (Cox McMillan in Battersea) and I desperately need a cut.

I follow the curly girl method and have botticelli/loose corkscrew curls with some waves. Fairly fine.

Any recommendations?

[CommanderShepard]

I'm in Oxford but my old hairdresser moved to start up the new Toni & Guy in Westfield (White City) - Darren Stone. I'm not sure if he's still there but he was great.

[clarequilty]

Thanks, and thanks for the PMs too.

[SparkyUK]

When I lived in New York City, I went to devashan which is the salon owned by the woman behind the curly girl method. Love it there. When I moved over here I asked them if they could recommend anyone and they said Charles Worthington, so I used them for a few years. They were fine but nothing special and not close to my home or office.

I now use Feel Studio in Soho and have had no bad cuts from them and one particularly good one from Stelios. Everyone else raised an eyebrow when I tell them about the curly girl method so maybe if you start evangelizing too, people will take notice?

If you want to share any of the PMs, let me know though. Would love to try a dry cut again as haven't had one now in many years (and interestingly, post pregancnies my hair is different then it was).

[KosherBacon]

Of you want a Deva cut there is a stylist called Carlos Flores who comes over from NYC every couple of months and goes to Rosh in Temple Fortune.

I've had a Devachan cut in NYC and it was awesome, but with a different stylist.

[SparkyUK]

How did you find out about Carlos, if you don't mind me asking. Did they tell you at Devashan?

[KosherBacon]

No, he left and set up his own salon. I used to always follow the Curly Girl method and found out about him via a forum.

[Beautybymums]

I've had endless bad cuts until my boss's wife told me she sees a mobile hair stylist that is about to open a salon next year in North London. She follows the devacut method and is pretty much only dealing with curly haired clients for 5-6 years.

She is so down to earth and my hair has never has such good shape. I recommend her highly. She has curly hair herself, does amazing color for curls and really reasonable price. She doesn't whatever you tell her which is hard to find. It was £45 for my cut and I have long thick hair.

The only thing is if you are no-poo or 'cone' free then she asks you to provide you own products. Probably why the price is so reasonable in fairness.
Whoever is sick of being ripped off for bad cut and rude service should contact her. Her name is Jay her mobile is 07517 441 080.
She's busy so rarely picks up for I suggest text and she calls back. You can let her know pregnant Julia recommended her :)

Wish everyone better luck with their curls.
On another note can anyone recommend a good stretch mark cream?

[curlymix]

Thank you so much Mumsnetters you saved me!

I am also an old Cox Mcmillan customer and needed my hair doing desperately for a wedding later this month so nearly cried when I saw they had shut.

I couldnt afford to travel to Birmingham, found this thread and text Jay last week, got an appointment for yesterday and my hair is amazing!

Overall it nearly took 3 hours with lots of advice from her on no cone products I can use going forwards and an amazing recipe for a hair masque made out of banana, coconut and lime!

She promises next time it wont take so long but I was fascinated watching her cut each curl individually and my hair has never looked so good.

I am mixed race with Corkicelli curls (Jay taught me that!) and I am based in North London and would strongly recommend Jay to any other curly hair girls in London

[Fooogle]

ooo, very excited to find this message!
I have curly hair and have been taking pot luck at Vidal Sassoon training academy with cuts (ony £12 so can't complain I guess).
Would Jay come to south London do you think? I also have two kids so at home is not ideal but would be very excited to get a great cut where someone actually takes notice of your individual curls! How did other people find having a cut at home?

[MinginInTheRain]

Whereabouts in North London is Jay? She sounds awesome. But I am SW20 so a bit if a trek.

[Fooogle]

Hello Mingin. I've tracked Jay down and she is currently working out of a space in Wood Green High Road (not utterly sure if its a salon or...). I will work out a time to go and trek up there but she said she isn't doing home cuts anymore.

[MinginInTheRain]

Thanks Fooogle - I think from me Wood Green is about an hour away so I could cope with that just about. Would love to try it out just to see what my hair could look like. Used to have a fab hairdresser who understood the curl but for the last 8 years have made do with people who think they are cutting unruly straight hair....it rarely ends well

[Fooogle]

Yes, often I think I've had an ok cut but seeing pictures I realise I've had some shockers!
What do you use on your hair mingin? I experimenting again but usually go back to boots pink curl creme....
I'm plucking up courage to inform other half I need the day to have my hair cut!... He ll be left with the kids!

[libertychick]

Popping on here to say thanks for recommending Jay. She cut my hair yesterday and it's fantastic. Best my hair has ever looked. I'm caucasian with fine 'cherub' curls and she has transformed my hair. She's working mobile again not out of a salon (though she wants to open a small salon for curlies).

She's well worth the money - she charged me £70 as I am further out than she usually travels (Zone 6 NW London), her usual rate is less. It took 2 hours and she's lovely, takes a lot of care and gave me so much advice on how to care for my hair and says I can text her anytime if I have questions. Text her on 07517441080.

And best bit, she says most curlies with the right cut only need to have a haircut every 6-12 months so totally worth the money.

[Fooogle]

Oo thanks that's interesting to hear Libertychick. I had a conversation with another poster who had had Jay round and found it all a bit weird and was not at all happy so it has put me off a bit... Pricing seems a bit random but guess you can do that if it is your own business and travel is factored in so fair enough... would you use her again? The other lady was so off putting I am worried!

[Nancy66]

Any other recs for SW London way? my last cut was so bad that I haven't had it trimmed for about 8 months and in desperate need.

crazy that so many supposedly good hairdressers can't do curly hair and don't get that you need to allow for a huge amount of bounce up. My hair almost halves in length from wet to dry.

[cathyandclaire]

Just spotted this thread, DD (15) has hair that sounds a bit like your's clairequilty long loose corkscrew curls, she doesn't have it cut very often and last time she cried for two days afterwards and stuck it in a pony tail for weeks!
We're in New York in the summer, is it worth going to a hairdresser there, Devashan or similar or could I potentially ruin her holiday?

[Fooogle]

Watching, waiting and hoping for more suggestions too.
I never seem to be totally traumatized by a cut Cathy but I can see it could be pretty ruinous of a teen holiday if it doesn't work out...

[Beautybymums]

wow really Foogle? which thread is that on. would be good for us curlies to know. Maybe standards are slipping or person was just weird about their home lol.

[libertychick]

Fooogle I would definitely use Jay again. I think the situation of having someone in your home can be a bit weird and Jay said to me she sometimes feels nervous as she's going into people's homes and doesn't know anything about them. I'm fairly relaxed though pm me if you'd like more details.

I have wept several times after haircuts - this is definitely the best haircut I have had. My 16 year old sister has very long, thick curly hair which she is forever straightening. I'm going to try and persuade her to have a cut with Jay over the summer.

cathyandclaire I'm going to get my sister the curly girl handbook so she can read up on it all herself and decide if she wants this type of haircut or not. Maybe do that for your DD before booking the apt in NY?

[Fooogle]

Beauty, not on a thread, think it was a PM. Prob shouldn't have mentioned really. Don't want to be defamatory, just was wondering whether to be brave or not!

liberty have PM'd you. I don't have the curly girl handbook. Is it really useful? I have bumbled along all these years finding things along the way, have a few things that work and millions that don't!

[Specialbrew]

Jay cut my hair on Saturday - Liberty she cut my hair in the morning so must have gone to see you after she saw me.

It was great, she was friendly, and informative and gave me so many good tips on looking after my curls (which are Cherub too).

I think if you're the sort of person who is weird about having new people in your house, then you may find the experience a bit odd, but I found her lovely, and very sensitive to being in my house. As it took her almost 2 hours to cut my hair, I had to nip out and collect my son for about 5 minutes. I told her she could stay in the house, but she said she would prefer to wait outside until i got back. I actually thought that was a bit weird, but in hindsight, it was totally the right thing for her to do.

Back to the haircut. Jay cuts each curl individually when dry, wets is all again, dries it and cuts a bit more. My hair looks so much better - it's probably the best hair cut since I've had since I was 18 (which was a VERY long time ago). Would recommend her wholeheartedly, and I doubt I will ever go back to a hairdresser who cuts curly hair wet. After seeing what Jay did, a wet hair cut for curls is completely insane.

And thanks to Beauty for the recommendation. I've been in London 16 years without a half decent haircut, so I'm pleased you found Jay for me

[libertychick]

[Specialbrew]